New vehicle sales continue to fall due to economic pressure on traditional growth markets such as South Africa and Nigeria. The African continent, however, will rise to become a key enabler for sustainable economic growth and the movement of people and goods plays a significant role in regional commerce on the continent. Long-term growth strategies require new mobility solutions for logistics and trade.
Frost & Sullivan’s Mobility Workshop on “New Mobility Business Models” will explore the African mobility landscape and will conceptualize ideas for new mobility solutions that will assist in facing current challenges, and also look at how existing solutions can be adapted to suit Africa’s unique needs. The workshop will be held at the Growth, Innovation and Leadership (GIL) 2016: Africa congress in Cape Town on Aug. 18, and will involve top participants from across the automotive industry; including Jonathan Ayache, general manager of Uber; Steve Smith, editor of top national publication CAR magazine; and Tumisang Marope, CEO of Locomute, Africa’s first car-sharing network.
“New business models in mobility have the potential to transform the logistics landscape in Africa,” said Craig Parker, head of mobility for Africa at Frost & Sullivan. “We have already seen the development of the mobile-based freight brokerage market, where examples like UberRush (retail) and UberCargo already exist on the global stage.”
The linkages between infrastructure development and digital mobility will also play a key role in the uptake of new mobility solutions, as well as the eventual path development will take, according to Frost & Sullivan. Challenges relating to safety and urban congestion also will influence the development trajectory. Multi-modal solutions in Africa also will change the transportation landscape for passengers and goods.
“The expanding transport corridor projects in East Africa, for example, are expected to reveal greater logistics opportunities and increase the demand for commercial vehicles in East Africa significantly over the next five years,” added Parker. “Frost & Sullivan is currently undertaking an analysis of the commercial vehicle demand in East and West Africa and how transformational shifts globally – like new business models, as well as, convergence in mobility and public transport spending – will shape the future of mobility on the African continent. We also track automotive and mobility trends on the African continent and find South Africa will become more regionally integrated with their exports, Algeria’s automotive market is growing strongly and will lead North Africa, commercial vehicle sales in East and West Africa will surpass passenger vehicle sales and there will be a growing interest in local manufacture of off-highway vehicles on the continent to support large-scale infrastructure developments and construction.”
Highlights of the “New Mobility Business Models” workshop will include:
- What are the key transformational shifts in mobility globally?
- Will global mobility solutions work in Africa?
- What are the potential new business models and new mobility solutions?
- What does slow infrastructure development and rising congestion in urban areas mean for automotive sales in Africa?
- What are the major obstacles we must remove for mobility solutions to thrive in Africa?
- Who are, and who should be, the key stakeholders involved in mobility transformation on the continent?
- What will be the top mobility shifts in the next five years vs. the next 20 years and why?
With more than 200 industry experts and visionaries in attendance, GIL 2016: Africa will be a remarkable platform to discuss and deliberate the future of business, convergence of new business models, Mega Trends and disruptive technologies. To download brochure and for more information on the event, visit http://frost.ly/j8
